Preteen Summer Crushes and Secret Beachside Encounters Aruni knew very little about the world. She knew what she learned up until the fourth grade, and to her, that felt like an awful lot. She knew how to spell all of the states, what a verb is, and multiplication tables. She knew how to work the DVD player, and how to jump rope to 137. But Aruni still knew very little about the world. Aruni had thick auburn hair that shined like copper in the sun. She didn’t like the way ponytails felt, so her hair was always tussled wildly on top her head. It fell passed her shoulders curling every which way. Her father said that her hair made her lucky, and that he had learned that from a book. That made Aruni feel very proud. Aruni did not like wearing dresses and skirts. Being different made her feel very special. Aruni was just discovering a new emotion in her chest. She felt queasy and unsteady sometimes. She might be brushing her teeth absentmindedly when her heart would start thumping wildly in her chest. She worried about that for a long time. When she asked her mum about it she said that Aruni was probably just getting too excited and that she need not worry. Aruni was falling in love, and neither she or her mother knew. When Aruni was nine, her family moved to a new house. She liked her new room, but she missed her old friends. Summer was lonely and it was hard to make friends in a new neighborhood. “I’m boored,” Aruni whined. “Why don’t you ride your bike?” her mother asked. “Because it’s hot,” Aruni complained. “Okay,” her mother said, but it was not ten minutes later that Aruni was complaining of boredom again. …the next moment changed everything
